A Decade of Australian General Practice Activity 2002-03 to 2011-12

General Practice Series No. 32

Helena Britt, Graeme C. Miller, Janice Charles, Joan Henderson, Lisa Valenti, Christopher Harrison, Carmen Zhang, Timothy Chambers, Allan J. Pollack, Clare Bayram, Julie Gordon, and Ying Pan

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Format: paperback
176 pages
ISBN: 9781743320204

Publication: 26 Nov 2012
Series: General Practice Series
Publisher: Sydney University Press

This report highlights changes in general practice activity in Australia over the decade from April 2002 to March 2012 of the BEACH program, a national cross-sectional study of general practice activity. Over this time 9,802 GPs provided details of 980,200 GP–patient encounters. The report highlights changes that have occurred over the decade in the characteristics of GPs and the patients they see, the problems managed and the treatments provided. Changes in prevalence of overweight and obesity, smoking status and alcohol use are also described for sub-samples of more than 30,000 adult patients each year.

This report is a companion to the annual report General Practice Activity in Australia 2011–12.

Allan J. Pollack is a research analyst at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Carmen Zhang is a research officer at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Christopher Harrison is a senior research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Clare Bayram is a research fellow at the Family Medical Research Centre at the University of Sydney, and project manager of the BEACH program.

Graeme Miller is an associate professor and Medical Director of the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Helena Britt is a professor of primary care research at the University of Sydney.

Janice Charles is a senior research officer at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Joan Henderson is the Deputy Director of the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Julie Gordon (née O'Halloran) is a research fellow at the Family Medical Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Lisa Valenti is a senior research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Timothy Chambers is the IT Manager for the Family Medical Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

Ying Pan is a senior research analyst for the Family Medical Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

List of tables
List of figures
Summary

1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. The samples
4. The participating GPs
5. The encounters
6. The patients
7. Problems managed
8. Overview of management
9. Medications
10. Other treatments
11. Referrals and admissions
12. Investigations

13. Patient risk factors

References

Abbreviations

Symbols

Glossary

Appendix 1: example of a 2011–12 recording form

Appendix 2: GP characteristics questionnaire, 2011–12

Appendix 3: patient information card, 2011–12

Appendix 4: code groups from ICPC-2 and ICPC-2 PLUS